Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off on June 10, and alongside the usual upgrades to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, we expect Apple to finally show us what it’s been working on regarding AI.We’ll also see next-gen versions of watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS; all of them might get AI capabilities. And look for announcements about Apple’s digital services: Apple Music, Apple News, Apple TV+, iCloud, and more. Here’s everything you need to know.How to Watch the WWDC Keynote
The event will take place online and in-person at the company’s Apple Park campus in Cupertino. The main keynote begins on Monday, June 10 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET and there are more technical sessions through June 14. Registration for the in-person event is closed, but anyone can watch remotely via the Apple Developer app, Apple website, and YouTube (above).Similar to Microsoft Build and Google I/O, Apple’s WWDC is a developer-focused event. That said, there are some nuggets for the general public since we get a first look at the new software capabilities coming to iPhones, iPads, and Macs. After all, software is at least half the equation of all personal and professional technology offerings.Apple Needs Generative AI—Badly!It’s no secret that generative AI—the hottest software topic in years—will be top of mind at WWDC, and we’re all waiting to be dazzled by Apple’s take on the tech.Google, Microsoft, and even Amazon have all announced or released generative AI features. Never one to quickly embrace a trend, Apple has lagged behind, though in February, CEO Tim Cook promised generative AI features “later this year.” Given the general public’s fear of AI, Apple’s hesitance to include the new technology in its popular products may be a wise one.Still, rumors suggest Apple struck a deal with ChatGPT maker OpenAI. That’s a head-scratcher, considering Apple archrival Microsoft has invested heavily in OpenAI and hosts its generative AI tools on the Azure cloud service. Despite OpenAI’s recent demo of GPT-4o’s Her-like conversational abilities, we’re unlikely to see similar feats in Apple’s software for a while, at least in released product. But Siri could (and should) get a much-needed AI upgrade.A key point is that the company intends to keep a lot of (if not all) AI processing on device, which dovetails with the new AI processing capabilities in the Apple Silicon processors that power new Macs and many new iPhones and iPads. As for what it might be called: rumors point to Apple taking the AI acronym for itself and calling its solution Apple Intelligence.New iOS 18 Updates at WWDCGenerative AI announcements loom large in Apple’s iOS 18 WWDC plans. According to Bloomberg’s reliable Apple prognosticator Mark Gurman, Apple will use ChatGPT to summarize iMessage chats in iOS 18, make Keynote presentations, and improve Apple’s Spotlight search. We’re also hearing that Siri on iOS will be able to do things like transcribe voice memos and create custom emoji using AI. Rumors also tip a redesigned Control Center with better smart home control interfaces and a new music widget. Finally, iOS 18 may let you animate individual words in a text message or use new Tapback icons in addition to existing reactions.There are also reports that Apple will release its own password manager, dubbed Password.One promising development is support for open-source RCS messaging so that Androids and iPhones can finally live in sweet harmony. We can also only hope for search capability to arrive on the iCloud website, though.
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For more, check out 5 Major Features We Want to See in iOS and iPadOS 18.New at WWDC for macOSWhat about generative AI on macOS? Microsoft has made no bones about embedding the technology in Windows 11 with Copilot (which is based on ChatGPT and Dall-E for images). Apple has instead merely dipped its feet in the water of AI, but reports say it’s hard at work on new AI capabilities in macOS. Spotlight is expected to be improved with an injection of generative AI while a revamped Systems Settings app will feature a cleaner UI. For more, check out macOS 15 Wish List: 10 Big Features We Want Apple to Announce at WWDC.New at WWDC for iPadOSApple finally updated its iPad lineup recently and with their superpowered M4 processors, it would be surprising if Apple did not introduce any new AI features for iPadOS. The company already announced a powerful new version of Final Cut Pro for iPad that allows wireless multicam using multiple iPads and iPhones as the cameras. Expect the same Siri, Photos, Messages, and Mail improvements to be announced for iPadOS.Apple is rumored to be working on a generative AI code-creation tool for Xcode similar to Microsoft’s Copilot for GitHub. Code generation is one of the real frontiers AI is opening up, and it’s expected to massively accelerate the development of new technologies. Even adding auto-complete to Apple’s developer tools would be a desirable feature.What Else Will Happen at WWDC?Those are the biggest expectations for Apple’s conference, but the company will also probably showcase the winners of its Apple Design Awards for the best apps and games of the year, announced Thursday. And no doubt we’ll hear about new capabilities in watchOS (which powers the Apple Watch) and visionOS on the Apple Vision Pro, which was announced at last year’s WWDC. We probably won’t get a significant price cut for the company’s $3,500 AR headset or a second-gen version, but you never know. PCMag will be on the ground at WWDC 2024. Come back for all the news on Monday.
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